Ehud Olmert supports Palestinian move

Palestinian negotiator on status change

A year after failing to win recognition as an independent state, the Palestinian Authority came back to the United Nations and won the vote for an upgraded status as a non-voting member state in the General Assembly Thursday.

The governments of the United States and Israel both stood firmly against the Palestinian Authority’s move at the United Nations, which passed with an overwhelming majority. Surprisingly, though, former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert threw his full support behind the move.

“What the Palestinians moved to do today in the U.N., I think is in basic line with the strategy of a two state solution,” Olmert told CNN’s Christiane Amanpour on Thursday.

Four years ago, the Palestinian Liberation Organization, which governs the West Bank, turned down a peace deal that Olmert formulated, which he said “could have resolved the entire issue.”

Chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erakat told Amanpour, “I’ve never seen Palestinians and Israelis closer to striking an historic deal than that day in November 2008 between President Abbas and Mr. Olmert. So I’m not surprised that Mr. Olmert would support this bid.”

There are some aspects of Thursday’s move, however, that give Olmert cause for concern. With their new status as an observer state, the Palestinians could go to the International Criminal Court to push for charges against Israel. Olmert believes that a Palestinian petition to the ICC “could aggravate the situation, rather than change the atmosphere and the tensions” in the long-running conflict between Israel and the Palestinians.

Erakat has been at the center of negotiations with Israel for decades and said that the road ahead for the Palestinians is still difficult, but he believes this is a momentous vote. “As a Palestinian today I felt that I was born for one thing: to bring Palestine back to the map. And I think today was the very beginning. It’s not the end. The road ahead of us is difficult, long, but I think today was a good beginning.”

The peace process is completely stalled at the moment, but Olmert said Israel must move rapidly for a two-state solution. “Time is running out for Israel more than for the Palestinians,” he said.

Olmert said he opposes calls from some members of the United States Congress to now cut off funding for the Palestinians Authority, worrying that it might further shift Palestinian support to their opponents, Hamas, which the U.S. and European Union consider a terrorist group. After the most recent violence between Israel and Hamas, many analysts perceive that Hamas now has an elevated status, particularly among Palestinians in Gaza.

According to Olmert, the Palestinian Authority is the only partner Israel has for a peace deal. “Doctor Mahmoud Abbas is against terror – these are the guys we need to strengthen,” Olmert said. “We have to help them. What happened in the last few years – the reluctance for dialogue caused a certain reduction, an erosion in the status of the Palestinian Authority… [they] are the only partners we have for peace.”

The change in Palestinian status could give the Palestinian Authority and Abbas a boost in popularity. Erakat said, “I hope the day after tomorrow we will begin serious reconciliation between us and Hamas, hoping that Hamas will accept that when we have differences, we go to ballot boxes, not bullet boxes.”

Amanpour asked Olmert if he intends to run for Prime Minister in the Israeli elections in January. Olmert said he would only make an announcement on Israeli soil, but did say, “I will be very much involved in the attempt to change the policy of Israel toward a much more forthcoming, creative and flexible policy that will help bring peace between us and the Palestinians.”

hello Christiane Amanpour. i watched the interview and was disappointed that you did not nail him on the "far reaching proposal" he made to Abbas which even the Amerivan foreign Minister found hard to believe. why did the palestinian refuse or not jump on his proposal. you let him go like a hero but the fact is that he already had his chance to conclude a peace agreement with the palestinians.

I also watched your interview with khaled mashal. i noticed you tried to nail him on an article quoted as coming from Anadolou press agency – but he was aware that the public seeing it would not be arabs – so he replied you carefully, measured – without saying what he really thinks!

they were going to agree on that peace plan but Ehud Olmert faced opposition from a group
of powerful people inside Izrael which saw the plan as a thread to their establishment and eventually
dragged him down from the political scene and just there was not enough time to conclude the
deal.

You seriously still think ANY American president has any choice when it comes to supporting Israel? Between the bible bashers, jew york billionaires and APAC, there is no power left to the US 'leader'.

Sarah Mead – "jew billionaries"? If you're going to troll around here with the same old tired anti-Semitic trash, please just go away, 'kay? I suppose you think Americans have secret brain implants controlled by AIPAC. Guess what, troll – there's nothing stopping Arab countries from establishing a lobby. Oh yeah, wait – they have one. And guess what, they're loaded (all that Saudi oil). So why not equal support for them? Afterall, they have the same amount of funding as AIPAC. Probably something to do with suicide bombers, human shields, Islamic radicalism and repressive regimes stuck in the 12th century.

November 30, 2012 at 6:44 pm |

Ted

The fact that Irish kids beat up on Jewish kids from Dublin to New York, well before Israel was born, says enough about the credbility of your opinion.

Actually, sir, coming from Norn Iron m'self and having lived through the Troubles also, I back Mark's view. Your point, if indeed it can be called that, was lacking in any relevance to the situation whatsoever. It was also stupid: but you have a right to be stupid, if that floats yer boat.

NO NO NO. The difference is that Irish people live in a modern, western culture. The muslims in Gaza etc – these guys are FANATICS. Look at Egypt – look at the church burnings etc. Those aren't Jews there. Those are Christians. What makes you think adding yet ANOTHER muslim country, will somehow bring peace. The goal should be to REDUCE the # of muslim countries in the world, not increase it!!!

Your only legitimate cause on this planet is peaceful co-existence. And your only right is the right to defend yourself. You don't plan of murdering or eliminating any of your neighbors. And that applies to all.

I think you need to unwind. There must be somebody out there who would like to use your words against you. I think he needs unwinding too.

Unwinding a world that has gone tight. Where it has been going shows only graveyards and miserable victims of war, left and right. I think unwinding is what Mr Ehud Olmert been trying to do.

December 3, 2012 at 9:52 pm |

Fladabosco

I really don't think 'giving them statehood' will solve anything. If the leaders of the Palestinians think god gave them that land and the Jew think god gave them that land, then we haven't solved anything. I am in favor of a single, secular state that protects everyone's right to worship as they see fit. Without killing anyone.

Why the Izraelis or Americans put forward such a condition to the Palestinians "Not to drag Izrael to the International Criminal Courte"? How come a country (such as US) which claims to spread democracy and protect civil rights or a country (such as Izrael) which was a victim of holocaust and fairly required and obtained compesation for that
can put such a condition on the negotiation table? To me this is the real edge of hypocrisy.

Abbas' unilateral move for the UN vote was a violation of the Oslo agreement. If the PLO (or Hamas, or whomever is running the Palestinians – who knows, it's so confusing) want to bog down in charges of war crimes because Israel continued to build settlements in the West Bank (which is what the "war crime" charge is about, although possibly without merit given a number of complicated conditions about the current borders), then the Israeli's will have to counter with war crimes charges over suicide bombers, human shields, lobbing rockets into Israel and peace will never be achieved. That's why.

Exactly. The world is being fed with enormous propaganda and lies. Israel is the only democratic country in the Middle East. Is there any one Arab or Muslim country where the minorities have even basic freedom?

December 14, 2012 at 9:29 am |

prophet

let us Forgive everyone just as Our Saviour Showed us

Israel has the right to defend itself and the reason the other side don't have access to more powerful weapons because they would be against everyone even themselves, they are uncontrollable.

They are dangerous people especially the women there who actually push the men and innocent children to do what they do.

Goliath gave palestine as slaves to King David all those years ago on the condition that if David would defaet him and he did so there's the answer. But Israel gives them free medical treatment and schooling, which they don't want. So what can you say. We are praying for them.

And you are demonstrating your enormous ignorance. Did you know that Turkey is a primarily Muslim country with strong secular traditions that practices democracy just fine? People like you prefer to ignore empirical realities to demonize an entire religion.

How was Britain 'correct' to give the land to people that weren't presently living there but had instead inhabited the area sporadically over past millenias? You're talking nonsense. There were people who were peacefully living on those lands and had been for generations. That you would claim it 'correct' that those peoples lands were given to another ethnicity who then went about ethnically cleansing the indigenous Palestinians from those lands is unconscionable.

Prohpet... I don't normally respond to BS like this on the internet because it is sort of like the special Olympics, no matter who wins, you are still a special person. However, your racism and ignorance deserves a response in so many ways, but I will give it to you as you dished it out right now. Hide behind your computer... but go live in a war torn country and then speak up when your family members have been killed, you live in poverty, and you are discriminated against. You are just like the minority you speak of, a religious fanatic, you speak the same as the minority you claim is the problem. You and them are the problem, not the average person just trying to live their life. Maybe you are the problem, go look in the mirror.

If you are referring to the Sykes-Picot – it was an agreement between France and England with input from Russia....

At that time – and organization called the Irgun (which was in effect renamed as the Likud party – although many would argue that point) was running around blowing up British Police stations and Palestinian markets... Although they just planted the bombs – they were not suicide bombers – just bombers

The land in question was referred to as British Mandate Palestine – which seems to contradict those that say 'Palestine' or 'Palestinians' never really existed despite centuries of existence.

Israel itself IS divided on this issue, although for some strange reason we only hear ONE side of the story in our media normally. One could assume that the lobby of the right-wing fundamentalists of Jewish faith are the cause. Just like all religions there is a strong and vocal fundamentalist movement with Judaism that is a major part of the problem.

It seems strange that Israel constantly looks for international support, but then refuses to abide by any international methods of resolution. They do not want peace, they want the land. They have been using oppression for decades now against the Palestinian peoples.

Does anyone really wonder why the Palestinians are so angry? Does anyone wonder why the Palestinians use the tactics they do when they are not supplied weapons in a similar fashion to the Israelis? I am pretty sure if similar tactics of oppression were used in this country, we'd fight back too. Maybe not exactly in the same manner, but definitely with the same results/effects.

There are nutty people everywhere and yet we are angry with Muslims because SOME fundamentalist sects are abusive and discriminatory and yet we ignore the same fundamentalist elements in Israel. Those that throw rocks and women because they don't cover up – same as some Muslims. We ignore the fact that fundamentalist Jews would gladly exterminate ALL Muslims given half a chance.... and they have some effect. They agitate some Palestinians into action and then use it as an excuse to destroy as much as possible; as an excuse to continue building settlements.

However, fundamentalists are a minority in BOTH Judaism and Islam. They are just very vocal. Not to mention the fact that Islam is such a large religion, a minority can be a very large group...

And here – we have become fundamentalist Christians who think we are always right because OUR vision of god is the right one; that we are justified because we are 'good' people...

In my opinion, we certainly should support Israel's right for peace – AND Palestinians right for peace. However if Israel is not willing to abide by UN resolutions, I wonder if we should support their cause to prevent Palestine from being a member.

We seem to look only at the current actions of the occupied territories and forget to consider the conditions that have led them to these actions; we forget that it was foreign intervention that gave away control of this area from those that had lived in the area for many centuries.

As for the argument that there are more Palestinians there now than there was originally – this is true. There are also many immigrants of Jewish faith on these lands also. The large majority are immigrants even excluding those that settled post-WWII.

Of course GOD never gave ANYBODY ANY land. It is a historical mess fogged by special interests. One thing IS for sure, there is a lot of human suffering and oppression. These things cause violence, they don't stop it. They NEVER stop it.

haaaaaaaaappppppppy and congratulation for all freedom & democratic peoples and specially for palestinians peoples, it's very intresting for all of them. my suggestion and advisor for all peoples in the world wich accept freedom and democracy plz lpz plz plz plllllllllllllllllllllllllllllzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz support palestinains people.

i ask all people of any religion to repent and turn from their sinning, Our saviour awaits your homesty, we can all see the way the world is going, its only a matter of time till it all implodes, syria is the example of what will happen to the other countries of the world. No one will intervene to save anyone because selfishness and self presevation will be the main thing and we will all have a difficult time. Repent and turn from your sins to Adonai.

"cut off funding for the Palestinians Authority, worrying that it might further shift Palestinian support to their opponents, Hamas"

I have to seriously question the mental capacities of those who don't see this. If you undermine the civil representation and make it weak in the eyes of those it tries to represent, people will turn to the radical and violent elements, who are considered to be "delivering" when they send rocket after rocket at Israel. Strengthening the Authority's standing, supporting it in its efforts for a peaceful, political/diplomatic solution would be a great way to pull the rug out from under Hamas. But my impression is that there is a severe lack of will among key players, and one has to wonder: Cui bono?
In the end, war has only two winners: the Grim Reaper and the arms manufacturer.

but sadly Israel will have occupation as it did under the assyrians greeks and romans but only so that it can be freed again and Israel wants self rule but it can't. This is why Our Saviour Came as Freedom is an inner transfomation and this is what Torah is all about.

Israel has turned its back on Adonai as it always did sadly but this iis an example to show athiiests humans what they have done.

Its Israeli Government is secular and most of the population are into paganism and as the world is and this is the sign that the end is here.

Israel Must Turn Completely to Adonai on Adonai's Terms otherwise she will fall to the heathens only to be rescued again until they learn.

When will people realize that its not Palestinians against Israel, its Jew haters that live in Palestine against Israel, there just happen to be enough of those at this point to prevent any possibility of peace.

When you realize that it's not just Jew haters that live in Palestine against Israel, but also Arab haters that govern Israel against Palestine (just look at how opposed the Israeli government was to UN recognition of Palestine) that prevent any possibility of peace. You've got to start recognizing that your own side shares in the culpability and the blame along with the other side. Only when both sides recognize the extremists among their own can we begin to hope for productive dialog to isolate these elements equitably among Jews AND Arabs.

Congratulations to the Palestinian People. Obviously our government voted in the UN not on behalf of the American People, but AIPAC and some angry Evangelists, otherwise it would not embarrassed itself, voting against when almost the entire world said YES!

Today Israel retaliated by doing following "Israel has authorized the construction of 3,000 more housing units in occupied East Jerusalem and the West Bank, according to Israeli officials." They retaliate against a people who peacefully went to the UN and ask for statehood, by taking more of their land. Israel is showing their true aggressor nature. I am nor muslim, nor Jew, but a buddhist. I see that Palestinian people through their suffering have kept their dignity, Israel through their aggression and oppression have gone morally bankrupt.

Did you know that the "West Bank" was created in 1949 and is just the area where the war between Israel and Jordan stopped. The Green Line is a cease fire line, not a boundry. They cannot be stealing their land if it is not their territory. Besides it would be Jordans, or Englands.

November 30, 2012 at 5:48 pm |

GoodLuck

So now PA state is going to sue Israel for construction on West Bank and Israel is going stop building because ICC will tell them to? Or Israel will sue Hamas when then new state fires a rocket and Hamas will pay for damages? lol

Because today's UN membership has a vastly different makeup, populated primarily by 3rd world countries, many of which in Asia, Africa and the mideast have either Muslim majorities. There has been a Muslim resurgence in Europe as well, and most of the European countries supporting Abbas symolic vote have seen a groundswell in their Muslim population (France is now 10% Muslim). If you're interested in the history of relationship between Israel and the UN, you should watch this:

You can't possibly be implying that countries like France and Spain voted in support of Palestinians because of the Arab minorities that have emigrated to those countries. Clear majorities of WHITE Europeans support Palestinian rights to self determination in the UN because they see it as the just cause. You're being disingenuous with what you're suggesting.

The USA needs to halt the billions we give to Israel if they continue to built housing for settlers in the occupied west bank.
Israel a Socialist nation gives a lifestyle to Israelis that us will never have,with our money.

What? Have you been to Israel? The median income is half that of the United States. It's a nice country, but you are delusional if you think a) The US makes Israel rich and b) That Israel is rich. Smart, yes, innovative, yes, rich? Stop reading the Sturmer.

You're the biggest and meanest mouth here. American politicians live in fear of AIPAC. It exerts enormously greater influence on American public policy than any Arab group could ever possibly have. Fueled by huge monied support of hard-line, war mongering, Israeli racist pigs and Arab haters such as Netanyahu. Without Bibi's biggest friend and most convenient enemy he would amount to exactly nothing.
Did you notice I made my point without using the J word? Are you disappointed?
How many boards are you cluttering up with video? Sheesh.

Ehud Olmert:
"Time is running out for Israel, more than for the Palestinians.."
Interesting. That's certainly not the impression we get in the MSM.
I wonder what the ex-PM of Israel means by this comment?

Olmert understands the self destructive path Israelis have chosen by preferring the status quo to not returning to the negotiating table and granting Palestinians statehood. Why? Because fanatical Jewish terrorist/settlers are stealing and settling upon more and more private Palestinian lands such if you looked at a map you would see how little of what were supposed to belong to Palestine no longer does. As this happens, the two state solution becomes less and less viable until it becomes a practical impossibility. Then what do you think happens?

Interesting. So you think Olmert meant by his comment that settlement expansion is making it less and less likely that a fair 2 state solution can be hammered out? Do you think he also meant support in the region, and even perhaps from the US, will not be there forever?

December 1, 2012 at 3:09 pm |

Arias

No. He was strictly referring to the fact that as soon as a Palestinian state becomes a practical impossibility due to settlement expansion then the only option left is a one state solution. This would spell the end of Israel's dream for a Jewish State because of the population difference with Palestinians. Palestinians would clamor for equal rights and Israel would have to comply or be branded an apartheid state. That's why the continued use of settlers to steal Palestinian lands makes so little sense.

December 14, 2012 at 3:07 am |

Toussaint louverture

Everyone knows this problem between israel and palestine is beyond human being

“How can you say it is a democracy when, in 62 years, there was not one single Arab village established? I don’t have to tell you how many Jewish towns and villages were established. Not one Arab village. How can you say it’s a democracy when research has shown repeatedly that Jews and Arabs get different punishments for the same crime? How can you say it’s a democracy when a Palestinian student can hardly rent an apartment in Tel Aviv, because when they hear his accent or his name almost nobody will rent to him? How can you say Israel is a democracy when… Jerusalem invests 577 shekels a year in a pupil in [Palestinian] East Jerusalem and 2372 shekels a year in a pupil from [Jewish] West Jerusalem. Four times less, only because of the child’s ethnicity! Every part of our society is racist.”

Israel's announcement about more settlements in the occupied territories should convince even the most ardent supporter of that country that the current government in Israel has absolutely no interest in pursuing a peace settlement. The US should stop supporting the illegal activities of the Israeli government. The entire international community is turning against Israel, with good reason - all except the US and two or three other countries.

I am a Zionist. I believe Israel has a right to exist in its present state and I don't suppoert the right of return of millions of descendants of the Arabs who left israel, either willingly or otherwise, during the 1948 war. However, I think the only solution to peace between the Arabs and Jews in the Middle east is to make east Jerusalem an international city. A city that transcends ownership by one country.

Jerusalem is a city that belongs to all of humanity. That is truly the legacy of the Jewish people – to gift Jerusalem to the world.

So here's a guy from Russia or Poland or Germany who a) thinks he is kin to the Jews of middle east of 4000 years back, when the only reason he is there is because his folks were brutalized in the west or b) thinks God gave him this land because he is a jew. So now you have the right to decide who lives there. When you leave your home next time, for a vacation, make sure you don't come back. How does that sound?

It is about money that the American Jews have. It is because of the hold the Jews have in the News media and television. It is about the diamond trade in New York. That is why America support Israel. Also, we seem to carry a little guilt because we did not stop the Holocaust.

Big Surprise coming to the nations of the world.
Trying to endorse the division of Jerusalem will not bring down blessings.
Quit the opposite.
Some really bad curses are coming.
Obama – said, Jerusalem is to remain the capital of Israel........
AND, it shall remain UNDIVIDED......

ISRAELI Arrogance
Immediately after the recognition of Palestine as an observer member state Israel has announced to expand its illegal settlements by additional three thousand units!... Not only defying the UN in its almost totality or majority and challenging the Palestinians but also perpetuating in its violations of human rights as this picture symbolically demonstrates (lately taken before the announcement of the UN.
Now this arrogance and superiority must stop and the helper of Israel mainly the US and Britain must know that now the world is more conscious and watching their double standards and criminal acts in particular those against humanity and mankind. The US we already know that they have given a cart blanc to the Israeli to kill, discriminate and humiliate the Palestinians like they, the US, did throughout their history from the massacres on the red Indians to Vietnam war and lately in Abu Ghraib in Iraq. But the British today trying to show a “noble and polished ” image by supporting the Syrian revolution (really through words and not real help) have tried through extortion to force the Palestinians to refrain from going to the ICC (International Crime Court) after the UN resolution otherwise they would vote against and so they did. The British historically were the origin of the tragedy of Palestine when they “gave” a “home land” to the Jews in Palestine (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balfour_Declaration). In reality Palestine did not and has never been their property to give or donate, but they did, upon which with the help of France and the US got even the recognition from the UN in 1947 for them at the cost of the Palestinian people that have in the beginning even helped the deported Jews by the Nazis in their home Land during the second World war. Unfortunately Britain has through history created many problems and conflicts around the entire world that we can witness till this day.
The Palestinians must not be afraid of this arrogance and superiority of Israel and its allies but continue its road to the ICC by first signing the Rome declaration against International criminal acts and crimes against humanity and then file all the crimes committed by Israel throughout its history from the massacre of Deir Yasin to the killing of 16 members of one and the same family (the Dalou family) in Gaza this year, because only from a strong position the Palestinians can then negotiate a real and just peace plan in which the rights of the Palestinian people is protected and build an enduring peace in the Middle East.

Only the Almighty God can settle the peace between them. Any nation that rise against Israel shall be distroy by the true God, God of Abraham, Isaac etc. what we are seeing today has been written in the bible years ago, it's not new

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